Parking time indicator



Feb. 20, 1945. H. P. COMPTON PARKING T IME INDICATOR Filed Nov. 30, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l DEPOSIT ONE NICKLEGNLY BET-8A.M. 6 RM.

YOUR TIM EST \R S AFTER C01N HA5 BEEN TRIPPED EV POLIGEMAN- r. a & m u H 4. F. n e h t INDICATES \NHENTIME IS U P HPUompian Feb. 20, 1945. H. P. COMPTON PARKING TIME INDICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1942 Patented Feb. 20,1945

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PARKING TIME INDICATOR Henry Purl Compton, Abilene 'lem, mlgnor of one-fourth to James A. Autry, one-filth to C. M. Tucker, one-fifth to W. A. Stewman. twentyone two-hundredth: to A. K. Does, one fourhundrcdth to Ray Scott. all of Abilene. and oneiii'tieth to Scott Snodgrass, San Angelo, Tex.

Application November 30, 1942, Serial No. 487,371

1 Claim.

This invention relates to parking time period expiration indicators.

An object of this invention is to provide a parking time period expiration indicator which is manually operated by means of an inserted key. the device embodying a rotary disk carrying numbers indicating the expiration of the parking time, and including a coin slot for dropping a coin within a numbered space.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of this kind including a numbered and chambered disk and means for holding the disk against rotation in one direction.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for mounting the rotary disk within the selected housing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a rotary time indicating disk which is adapted to release inserted coins when the disk is rotated. the coins gravltatingly dropping into the lower portion of the housing which constitutes a coin receptacle.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved means for locking the entrance door to the lower portion of the housing, the key for rotating the numbered disk being insertable in the lock of the door to effect opening of the latter.

With the above and such other objects in view, the invention consists of such Par an suc combination of parts as will be more specifically describedand are as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein are shown embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention, as claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detail front elevation of a parking time indicator constructed according to an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of the device;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an inner elevational view of the locking mechanism;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line [-8 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a detail side elevation of the operating key.

Referring to the drawings the numeral in designates generally a housing which includes a rear wall II, a front wall l2, oppositeside walls I! and it, the latter merging with an arcuate top wall Ii. The side walls I: and II are disposed in downwardly convergent relation and iormed; integral with the bottom wall I. Preferably, the

housing In is cast from metal, the side walls It 4 and H, the top and bottom walls I and ll and the rear wall ll, being formed as an iutegralunit. The front wall I2 is constructed in' the form of a plate which is secured by fastening members I! to the forward open side of the housing.

A disk it is rotatably mounted in the housing Ill in confronting position to the, rear side oi the front wall l2. The disk II is rotatably mountflange 25, is secured by fastening devices 2' to the rear face of the rotary disk 18. The block 2 is provided with an outwardly facing opening or" socket 21 within which the head 22 of the bolt" ll is adapted to loosely engage. The bolt I! is formed with an axial bore 28 which, at its inner' end, communicates with a bore 28 formed Zen trally of the block 24. A threaded socket member 30 is threaded into the inner end or the block 28 5 and is formed with a polygonal openin 3! which is in axial alinement with the bore 28 of the bolt IS. The threaded socket member 38 is locked against rotation with respect to the block 24 by means of a lock nut 32.

The front face of the disk it is provided with a plurality of segmental coin receiving pockets I! which open forwardly and also open through the periphery of the disk 18. The pockets II have indicia 34 on the rear wall 35 thereof, and the indicia 34 is adapted to be exposed through a window opening 38 which is formed in the front wall i2 adjacent the upper portion thereof. A transparent panel 31 is mounted in a rabbeted seat it formed on the inner side of the front wall 12 so that the selected indicia II on the disk It may be viewed from the front of the housing.' The disk It has one pocket 34a thereof which is painted red, or other suitable color, the red indicating that the parking meter is not in use. The numerals or indicia 34 indicate the limit of time for which the parking charge has been Paid and therefore, expiration of the parking time.

The disk It, on the periphery thereof, is provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth II, and a dog or pawl 40 is mounted on a pivot 4| carried by the front wall I! or the housing adjacent the lower portion thereof, and is adapted to engage the teeth 39.

The pawl 40 is gravitatingly .maintained in contact with the teeth 39 by means of a. weight 42 which may be i'ormed integral with the pawl 40, and positioned oppositely therefrom. The housing I is formed integral with the bottom wall thereof, with a downwardly opening socket 43 which is adapted to telescope the upper end of a supporting post or standard 44. The socket 43 may be fixedly secured relative to the post or standard 44 by means of a set screw 45, or other suitable fastening means. The disk I is adapted to be rotated to a selected position by means of a key 46. I

The key 46 is formed of apolygonal stem 41 having a right angular head or handle 48 secured to one end thereof. The polygonal stem 41 is adapted to be inserted through the bore 28 of the bolt l9 and to telescope into the socket 3| of the threaded member 30. Rotation of the handle 48 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figures 1 and 3, will eflect rotation of the disk l8, to the desired position for exposing the desired indicia 34.

The housing It! has an opening 49 formed in the rear wall thereof, and a closure 56 is adapted to engage in the opening til. The closure till is pivotally mounted on a hinge member or pivot which engages through ears E32 carried by the closure 50 and also by the rear wall it of the housing. An inwardly ofiset flange 53 is formed integral with the inner side of the rear wall it and provides a seat or stop for the closure 58.

An outwardly ofiset lug 54 is formed integral with the lower portion of the housing wall it, and is adapted to limit the downwardly swinging move= ment of the closure 5!] when the latter is swung to an open position.

The closure 50 is adapted to be locked by means of a pivoted locking bolt 55. The bolt 55 is pivotally mounted on a threaded bolt 56 which is threaded as at 51 into the closure 50 from the inner side of the latter. The threaded bolt 56 is formed with a head 58 and a washer 59 is interposed between the head 58 and the inner side of the locking bolt 55. v The locking bolt 55 has secured by fastening devices 60 to the inner side thereof, a block GI. The block 6| is formed with an opening 62 for encompassing the head 58 of the threaded bolt 55. The key socket member 63 is threaded into the block it in axial alinement with a bore 64 which is formed through the bolt 58. The threaded socket member 33 is formed with a polygonal socket 85, similar to the socket 3|, and socket member 33 is locked against turning with respect to the block 6| by means of a lock nut 63 which may be threaded onto a. reduced threaded portion 61 formed integral with the socket member 63. The locking bolt 33 is constantly urged to a locking position by means of a spring 68 which has one end thereof mounted on a headed pin 69 carried by the locking bolt 65. The opposite end of'the spring 68 is mounted on a pin or bolt 10 which is carried by the rear side of the closure 50.

In the use and operation of this parking time indicator, :3. coin of suitable dimension is inserted through a coin slot H, which is formed in the top wall l5. This coin is adapted to drop into a pocket 33 which is in registry with the window 38. The coin will be exposed through the transparent panel 31. The attendant havingthe key 46 will insert this key through the front wall I! and rotate the disk I8 to expose the desired numeral 34 through the window 36. The inserted coin in the pocket 33 may not immediately drop into the coin receiving chamber 12 which is formed in the housing below the disk 18 as the disk l8 may only rotate for one or two numerals. However, when the disk 88 is rotated to position the inserted coin in a lowermost position, the coin will gravitatingly drop out of the pocket into the coin chamber '82.

The front wall ii of the housing may have printing 73 indicating the time allowed for a given coin in addition to other instructions relating to the use and operation of the device. This device is 01 simple construction, and is manually rotated by an attendant who may be a policeman or other attendant.

I claim:

In a parking time indicator, the combination of an open faced housing, a closure plate for said housing, means carried by said plate for receiving a coin or the like and for giving a predetermined time indication, the said means including a nonreversible rotatable element provided with a series of circumferentially arranged coin receiving pockets, the said pockets having indieia on the faces thereof, the said plate being provided with a window means whereby said indicia may be selectively viewed, and key operated means whereby said rotatable element may be manually rotated. HENRY FURL COMPTON. 

